Lies That The Enemy Tells Us About God #1

Psalms 73:35 says, "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you." Is this really how you feel...be honest with yourself, because God already knows how you feel about Him, every decision we make reflects our thoughts and beliefs about God.

The first lie that the enemy tells us about God is that "HE is not enough." Think about it, how many times in the back of your mind has the enemy tried to convince you or successfully convinced you or successfully convince you that God for one reason or another is not enough? This may be regarding your finances, your occupation, your wait for a mate, your anxiety to have a baby, etc. So instead we rehearse things in our minds like: if I would have been born into a family that doesn't have pregnancy issues, if only I were pretty, if only I was a superstar football player, if only I had more money, if only my parents had never divorced, or if only I was able to be a mother. All these thing we use to try and replace God, we believe that if we have what we feel is important, it would fill the empty space in us we long to fill. The trick of the enemy is that he knows only God that will fill this space.

Many times we have tried to replace God for a substitute, but as soon as we got what we thought would do it, we found that having a whole bunch of money...satisfied only for a moment, having a baby...satisfied only for a moment, being popular and having many friends...satisfied onlt for a moment... but NOTHING except a personal relationship with God will fill the eternal void that God placed in us just for Him, a place HE wants to fill, and absolutely nothing else will do.

Believe it or not, the number one thing that rivals God for "being enough" is our friends. When something happens in our lives or we have a problem or need advice, we are quick to text message, IM or call a friend before we even think about calling on God. Even if we think about it, we tend to know God is there but we will call our friends first then talk to God later.

Many times, we as singles are fooled by the enemy to believe that we need a husband or wife to complete us and that doesn't work either, only God will fit. Now, God does allow us to have children. spouses, friends, etc., but we must just keep them in their proper place and not try to fit them in God's spot. There is no way they can fill the shoes of the Almighty God of the universe, creator, redeemer and Holy Spirit.

God is enough! HE will meet our needs and wants to be our closest friend. Philippians 4:19 says, "My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." HE is the one to heal our broken hearts, lead us, protect us and provide for us. HE will be there for us when others let us down. If you don't know God this way or have never really let Him into that space that belongs to Him...I encourage you to get to know Him, just like any other friends you have made, you need to spend time with Him, get to know who HE is and be able to trust His character.

If you never have all the money you think you needed, never have a baby, all your friends leave you...God is enough! Try Him.

For more information about HE Reigns Ministries or to sign up for the newsletter, visit www.hereignsministries.org

We All Got "Stuff"

I have a question for you...How many people have to put up with your "stuff". Let's take a few moments to put our egos and pride aside because all of us have "stuff". Let me define "stuff" for ya...this is Michelle's definition for this blog, so don't go looking it up on dictionary.com. It is what is known as an issue(s), an area of inconvenience, weaknesses, slow mental moments. I am going to go old school on you here for a minute..."get my drift?" We get so mad at other people because of their "stuff" and we clearly feel the effects of it on our lives but what about how our "stuff" has impacted others lives? If we would really apply scripture to our lives as Christ intended us to do--we would have a lot less forgiveness issues. Consider these verses, Luke 6:41-43 (NASB) "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.

We have to admit that there are decisions that we have made in our lives that have affected other people, family, friends, colleagues, siblings, children, etc. To say that you have never made such a decision would be like telling me you are perfect. The last time I check there is no one perfect, no not one! EXPECT for God. It could have been as simple as your choice in a mate-- two families are brought together and we all have heard the in-law stories. Having babies outside of wedlock affects the family and mostly the child who may be left with parents that don't stay together. Making the decision to have an abortion leaves a lasting affect on a mother's heart and mind, not to mention the life of a child that has been stopped dead in it's tracks. I would know because I have made many of these same choices, prior to coming to know the Lord as my Savior. Maybe you didn't do anythin of those things but even if you simply left a job before securing another, this affects the financial welfare of the family. If your children have decided to follow a life of crime or sell drugs, this affects the family, their health, their free life, etc., etc., etc.

I know it is much easier to see the faults in other people but we've all made some humdinger of decisions here and there too--to tell the truth, some of us have made a lifestyle of making these decisions to the point where our circle of people just don't know what to do with us. Let's take my son for instance. Got to love him! He is 18 years old and his only desire in life is to be "grown," while most of us grown folk wish someone was taking care of us, oh what we wouldn't do to be young again without a care in the world. What a trick of the devil to convince our young people to try and grow up so fast, that they skip chunks of time that they really need to develop and transition properly into adulthood. It's almost like a DVD, you know how you can push skip and miss large segments of a movie to get to the part you like or to the end. Unfortunately, while they are trying to skip ahead the enemy is seeking to destroy them and bring them to their end.

Like all of us, my son has made enough bad decisions in just the past year to affect his health, his freedom, his education, his future as a whole. As I have gotten older I have seen with 20/20 vision looking back how decisions that I have made have affected soooo many people. The apple don't fall far from the tree. This has caused me to be much more understanding and patient with my son during his time of discovery.

It is time we get over ourselves and stop leading people to believe our "stuff" don't stink and remember from where we came and who had to put up with us, pray for us, rescue us, protect us-- and don't let me leave out who had to pay a ransom for us! Jesus came down here to die on the cross for our "stuff" so we need to be more tolerant of each other as we all try to figure out this thing called life. Some people have a harder time at it cause they don't know the one who gives life..God! Let's stop complaining and pointing the finger at others and share Christ with them.

Can you think of anyone that you need to be more patient with as God works out areas of their life? Who can you think of that has really been affected by your "stuff?" Realizing that someone was there for you while your "stuff" was stinkin'....are you ready to inturn be there for someone?

For more information about HE Reigns Ministries or to sign up for the newsletter, visit www.hereignsministries.org

How Accurate is Your Hearing?

God recently brought something to my attention. I am really quick to take action, sometimes that's great because I get a lot accomplished and am usually not pressed to wire. On the other hand I can be so willing to move so fast that I only get part of the information. This happens in my walk with the Lord also. I am sure HE is thrilled when I just move and respond quickly to what HE has instructed me to do or change but on the other hand I get so excited when I hear something that I usually hear a word, like move and I start looking for new locations to live, hmmm, Maryland might be nice, maybe Ohio, so the search starts for me to see where I can move my family, cost for living space, church, schools, etc.

Now that might sound really logical and all if you truly did hear God say move. My question to you is, what if HE meant move forward on a business plan, move forward in ministry, move forward on the purchase of a new car, etc. but not....up and move your family to another state. This would make a BIG difference in what action to take if you don't know what HE wants moved.

Now the funniest part is...when you slow down enough and enough doors to "move" have been closed right in your face, it becomes more clear that you need to go back to the drawing board, but first back to the Lord to see if you missed something. Wouldn't it have saved time if we just sat in His presence long enough in the first place...LOL. I guess we just really get excited when it sounds like something we want anyway, 'cause moving was right at the top of my list of things I wanted to do.

So what can we learn from this??? First, inquire of the Lord, "seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you according to His riches in glory." Second, WAIT! Spend some time waiting hear all God has to say in response to your questions and life concerns. Third, ASK questions...this is not disrespectful. Just as much as you want to know what God has to say to you, HE wants you to hear clearly what HE is trying to communicate to you.

On the other hand, there are many people who just won't move at all: they got their marching papers, instructions are clear, they have sat at the feet of the Lord for days, months, even years but are terrified to move out on what God has told them to do...well, that's for another time:)

Has it been a challenge to hear God clearly in your life? Have you figured out what blocks you from hearing God clearly in your past situations, was it your own desires winning out, to many conflicting opinions from friends, etc.?

For more information about HE Reigns Ministries or to sign up for the newsletter, visit my wbsite at http://www.hereignsministries.org/

What Is Your Fruit?

Have you ever found yourself daydreaming or just sitting and complaining about what you don’t have? That could be…that I have not a spouse, have not children, have not a Mercedes or Lexus or five-bedroom house…I think you get the point. Even though Philippians 2:14 says, “Do everything without complaining and arguing.”Why is it that we always want what we don’t or can’t have? This goes back to the garden where we listen in on a conversation between Eve and the serpent in Genesis 3:2-6. Prior to this conversation God very clearly told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden or they would die. How much clearer could HE make it? Somewhere in there, just like Eve, we start thinkin’ (like we know more than God) hmmm, something sure does look appealing about that tree (man/woman, job, party)….of course it looks appealing, everything has more appeal when we are told not to touch it, marry it, buy it, look at it, or taste and try it. Let me ask you a question….How many of you have children? And as sure as I am talking to you right now, when you tell them not to do something, you might as well just brace yourself ‘cause they are bound to find a way to do it--98 percent of the time. And so the saga continues--the serpent is still talkin’….and we’re still listening. Let’s take a second to consider why we listen to the serpent. Ah, our sin nature from our parents in the garden. Maybe it is because we like what he is saying….it agrees with our fleshly desire or maybe we just flat out don’t really believe God. We are drawn to what Satan is saying, especially when he is saying something we like. No, no, no….I got it--we are depending on God’s love and forgiveness to overlook our flirtation with sin instead of looking at the whole character of God! Check out Ephesians 5:3-6, but let me draw your attention to verse 6, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.” Sounds clear and consistent to me. Throughout Scripture God stresses the importance of obeying Him and fleeing our sinful desires. What has listening to the serpent gotten you in the past? Haven’t you lost enough? I am sure that just like Adam and Eve it’s gotten you kicked out or separated, you’ve lost many things--maybe everything, had to work harder, and brought more misery in your life than you would have expected…. if you’re going to be honest. So don’t you think it’s time to wise up? When Satan tries to remind you of your “have nots” or to tell you something that’s in opposition to what God says, you tell him, I have all that I need according to my Father’s will. “I ‘want nothing’ to do with that.” What have you had your eye on? What has Satan been tempting you with? Has God said, yes, no, or wait? If God said yes.…it will come without you having to push or rush it….do you hear me ladies.…wait for that man, don’t push, don’t rush it. Men, likewise, don’t pick a woman if you can see everything she is offering because everyone else can too, make sure she has godly character. If God said no….leave it alone and don’t believe the lies Satan is telling you as he tries to sweet talk you into disobeying God. Other lies are….your biological clock is ticking, or if you don’t take the first job offer that comes you may not get another offer and the job market is tight. If God said wait, then wait! How much clearer does HE need to make it? HE already says it in every language known to man, including sign language. If you are sure you didn’t get a yes, and positive you didn’t get a no, trust me….You’ll know the wait is over if and when HE brings it whatever “it” may be.

Is there a forbidden fruit you have been struggling to let go of? Are you ready today to trust wholeheartedly that God knows what is best for you and that HE doesn't withhold what is good for you? Do you really believe God is God?

For more information about HE Reigns Ministries or to sign up for the newsletter go to: www.hereignsministries.org